There probably won’t be garage-sized Big Macs or happy
California cows cropping up around Hollister for at least another
year.
That’s because the City Council plans to extend its ban on new
billboards for another 12 months at a July 6 meeting. The billboard
ban went into effect last August.
There probably won’t be garage-sized Big Macs or happy California cows cropping up around Hollister for at least another year.
That’s because the City Council plans to extend its ban on new billboards for another 12 months at a July 6 meeting. The billboard ban went into effect last August.
As a precursor, the council approved a resolution Friday for the city attorney to prepare a mandatory report on the matter, which has to be issued 10 days before an extension.
The council approved the initial moratorium 10 months ago after a Davis media company showed interest in placing 12 new billboards along San Felipe Road and Highway 156. The council later extended that ban for 10 months.
Hollister has no laws on the books setting specific enough restrictions for such advertising, officials say. And many city leaders believe too many billboards create blight.
The new proposed extension will allow officials to examine the nearly-completed general plan’s policies on community appearance, according to the resolution. They plan to measure the consistency of the city’s current sign ordinance with the general plan’s policies, City Attorney Elaine Cass said.
Councilman Robert Scattini believes billboards taint visitors’ first impressions as they come into town.
“If you don’t control it, it looks ugly coming into the city,” Scattini said.
He sarcastically said Hollister “isn’t Las Vegas or Reno.” Mayor Tony Bruscia said Hollister residents don’t want the city to look like San Jose.
Billboards “do have their place,” Bruscia said. And he wants to remain business friendly as long as Hollister maintains its rural charm, he said.
“They certainly have a role, but I don’t want to make our city ugly either,” Bruscia said.
Hollister has not decided whether to pursue an outright ban at some point, officials said. Some other cities, such as Monterey, have banned the signs altogether.
